In an effort to improve diversity and draw more of the country's best amateur athletes to baseball, MLB is in serious discussions with the NCAA to provide additional scholarship funds according to Bryan Fischer of CBSSports.com. Colleges are currently limited to 11.7 scholarships for baseball and many schools are unable to fund even that many.
Baseball America's Aaron Fitt reports that a contingent of NCAA officials met with MLB executive vice president Rob Manfred and MLBPA head Michael Weiner in New York three weeks ago, and "talks are really picking up steam." Colleges had 13 scholarships at their disposal until a 10% reduction in 1991, and American Baseball Coaches Association executive Dave Keilitz told Fitt that it would be a "huge victory" to get back to 13 scholarships soon. "Personally, I'm hopeful it's more ambitious than that," he added.
Colleges are currently allotted 85 scholarships for football and 13 for basketball, drawing some players away from baseball. It's been speculated that the draft spending restrictions implemented by the collective bargaining agreement could push prospects to other sports as well. In addition to scholarship funding, the two sides have discussed moving the College World Series to better accommodate the draft as well as the widespread implementation of wood bats according to Fischer.
My first thought was how this might mitigate the effects of the new draft restrictions. Have you heard from any sources if this move is seen as tangibly beneficial?
I don’t even…11.7 scholarships? Does that mean that they offer 11 full scholarships and then 70% of one? How does that even work?
More often than not, college teams offer 1/2 scholarships to its baseball recruits. Some offer even less to fill out its roster of players….as little as 1/4th the cost of attendance at their schools. Obviously, this is not much of an inducement for top athletes…when the can get a full ride if they play football or basketball.
Good move for the game. Bottom line.
Additional scholarships, say, going from 11.7 to 15 -16 would be exceptionally good for college baseball, as fewer and fewer students from minority backgrounds are choosing baseball over other sports, if (and when) they seek scholarship support to go to college. Waivers should also be factored in for small schools that field teams in competitive conferences, such as the ACC, SEC and the Big 10. Perhaps increasing the number of scholarships to as many as 20, on an as needed basis, would create a more level playing field for those schools that regularly play larger schools in their conferences. Prior team performance and financial need in the school’s athletic department should be a consideration in determining the awarding of additional scholarships beyond the 15-16 previously noted.
MLB might also want to consider subsidizing summer baseball camps for high school aged minority players who show academic promise and the potential to play baseball at the major college level. Such programs will serve to induce younger athletes to choose baseball over other popular sports while attending high school. Likewise, summer camps around the country would assist college coaching staffs to recruit talented players for their respective programs.
Funny. They care about bringing in more amateur talent, yet they forced teams to stay under a fixed total internationally, meaning we’ll no longer see large bonuses for uber-talented Latin players, which I’d guess means we’ll see a lot more talented soccer players in by the time Qatar holds a World Cup, and they basically told the teams that they’re in deep trouble if they go over the slot recommendation, meaning we won’t see a Strasburg sized deal, ever again.
Scholarships? Please. Amateur’s should have no motivation to flock to baseball when their only pay day is six years into their major league career, assuming they even make it that far.
So the new scholarships are for the purpose of diversity? Does that mean the additional scholarships will only go towards “diverse” players based on their level of “diversity” and not the best player? Or is diversity a code word which automatically refers to the “best” players anyway? Diversity = no tight hips? Did I get that right?
Less room for gritty players with high motors who “understand the game”? Did I hit enough stereotypes for the Khazars running MLB?
I think MLB’s true goal is to get more guys in college which will make drafting a little bit easier because scouts will have more data to work with.
MLB would probably love it if all guys went to college, had more predictable outcomes after the draft, and spent their 6.6 years of service time at ages 23-30 rather than 21-28.
so MLB’s already admitting that yes, in fact, the new amatuer salary cap isn’t the greatest idea Bud Selig ever had? You’d think they’d have looked in to this BEFORE implenting the new rules, honestly.
would be a good move for the game. But most of which is a Pipe Dream at best. Wood Bats for one if schools can barely afford 10 scholarships how are they gonna afford to replace wood bats every year when they break or in season.
The concept of creating economic opportunity programs for disadvantaged students has been part a component of college recruiting for several decades. I see no reason why this concept couldn’t be extended to collegiate sports as a part of their efforts to be balanced in their athletic recruitment efforts. MLB can put its money behind such programs, especially in locales where minority athletes are in the majority. But let me throw in the thought that balanced recruitment should work both ways. I cringe for example every time I turn the TV to a college basketball game and notice that the two teams playing dress 30 players for the game, 28 of whom are from the minority community. At the same time the school fields a cheerleading team for basketball that has an ethnic composition that is just the reverse. How is this justifiable? Major sports teams at the collegiate level should be representative of the student populations at the school they represent, and the larger population, across the board. This is what equal opportunity is all about.